Staten Island Children's Museum to Host Free Spring Break Events

Interactive cultural and STEAM activities are planned for Spring Break at the Staten Island Children's Museum. It will be open Friday, April 15 and Saturday, April 16. Closed for Easter, April 17. Then open daily from Monday, April 18 through Sunday, April 24. Each day the Museum offers two sessions: 10:00 am to 1:00 pm and 2:00 to 5:00 pm. The weeks include free outdoor events and a variety of programs inside that are included with admission.

In honor of Autism Awareness Month, visitors can participate in several tactile and sense-stimulating activities, such as making a marbled painting using shaving cream in the Walk in! Workshop. Additionally, a pop-up Playroom has been created with sensory bins. The bins are filled with items that have a variety of textures and weights, such as foam soap; slime; large water beads; and polished wooden balls. Exploring the varied feel of different objects and substances aids children in becoming accustomed to the wide diversity of sensations they will experience in the world around them.

For engineering-minded visitors, the Playroom also includes the big blue Imagination Playground building blocks and the Rigamajig building kit with planks, wheels, pulleys, nuts, and rope to inspire new creations.

On Saturday, April 16, from 1:00 to 2:00 pm, the organization Bilingual Birdies will host a free outdoor Spanish language class for kids, incorporating live music, puppetry and bubbles.

Tuesday, April 19, from 1:00 to 2:00 pm, The Freshkills Park Alliance will kick off the Museum's recognition of Earth Day 2022 with a free outdoor Park Planning workshop using recycled and reclaimed materials. They will explain the importance of re-use and how it relates to the remarkable transformation of the largest landfill in the world into Freshkills Park, the largest park developed in New York City in over a century.

Also on Tuesday, inside the Museum, is the ShopRite Kidz Cook workshop. At 11:00 am, 12:00 pm, 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm, Ms. Becky will be demonstrating how to make veggie rollups, a savory healthy lunch that can be presented beautifully. Young chefs will be chopping, spreading and rolling the ingredients.

Wednesday, April 20, from 1:00 to 2:00 pm, The Ensemble Barynya will return with a free outdoor showcase of dance and music from Eastern Europe. They will perform and explain the cultural significance of pieces from the Ukrainian, Romanian and Russian tradition. This event is sponsored by the Staten Island Hebrew Public Charter School.

Thursday, April 21, there will be a bounce house in the Museum throughout the day to help energetic visitors get the wiggles out.

On the official Earth Day for 2022: Friday, April 22, from 12:00 to 1:00 pm, visitors will be able to learn about composting and reducing food waste with the NYC Compost Project hosted by Snug Harbor. Participants will play a waste sorting game to learn exactly what can go into compost and what can't. Also, visitors will spend some time getting to know a worm, one of the most valuable decomposers in a composting system.

On Saturday, April 23, from 1:00 to 2:00 pm, in a free outdoor session, visitors will be able to meet a guide dog, Frances, and her owner, Holly Bonner, a legally blind mother and social worker who will share etiquette for interacting with the blind/visually impaired community and lead discussion on how to be an ally.

On Sunday, April 24, the Museum will culminate it's recognition of Earth Day with an activity that highlights the valuable role worms play in a healthy ecosystem, Ms. Becky will demonstrate how to make delicious dirt cups with cookie crumbs and gummy worms in workshops at 11:00 am, 12:00 pm, 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm.

Broadway Stages, Con Edison, Empire State Bank, NYC Ferry, Northfield Bank and Richmond County Savings Bank are the generous sponsors of the free outdoor event series at the Museum. "We started offering more events outdoors in response to demand during the height of the pandemic for fresh air activities that lower chance of transmission of respiratory viruses. These events were audience favorites, and because they were free, they helped introduce more families to the Museum. We are grateful to the sponsors who are enabling us to offer our outdoor event series again as the weather warms up." said Dina Rosenthal, Executive Director.

Sessions can be sold out. The Museum recommends that you book your tickets online via their website to ensure entry. Tickets are available at https://sichildrensmuseum.org/tickets.

About the Staten Island Children's Museum

Staten Island Children's Museum is open Saturday and Sunday and many school holidays for two sessions: 10:00 am to 1:00 pm & 2:00 to 5:00 pm. Visitors are encouraged to check the website for updates to hours and health policies before arriving and to book tickets in advance to ensure entry. Tickets are available at https://sichildrensmuseum.org/tickets.

The Staten Island Children's Museum is located on the grounds of Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden, 1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, NY 10301. For more information call 718-273-2060, email info@sichildrensmuseum.org or visit sichildrensmuseum.org.